10 of the greatest London festivals this summer

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Exciting news, boys and girls – we’re on the homeward stretch to summer, which means sunshine (hopefully), warmer temperatures and an incredible array of brilliant London festivals to keep you entertained.

Some of music’s biggest names are coming to London this summer including Ride, Patti Smith, Taylor Swift and Jessie J. Even Kylie is coming.

There are more than just music festivals coming to the city – there are also theatre, design and food festivals, all located within the city centre. So grab your calendar and start booking your tickets now. You don’t want to miss out on these festivities.

A truly amazing line up in coming to Field Day this year. This two day weekender is sure to have you dancing till you drop with alternative, indie, folk and underground dance acts such as Caribou, Patti Smith, Django Django and everyone’s favourite bearded-boy, Chet Faker. The festival village vibe continues beyond the music stages with eating contests, team games and DIY-stalls.

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Grab a weekend ticket for just £83 from the Field Day website but buy them fast – you don’t want to miss out on this.

Bad news for Taylor Swift fans – tickets for her concert at the Barclaycard BTS festival have sold out. But don’t panic – you can still see one of the other amazing headline acts such as Kylie Minogue, Blur, The Strokes and The Who.

Cross your fingers for sunshine and celebrate British summer in Hyde Park. Ticket prices vary depending on who you’re seeing and if you want a bit of VIP treatment. Buy them on the Barclaycard BTS website.

Returning to Regent’s Park in June is the Taste of London food festival. Bringing together some of the most delicious names in food and drink, this festival is guaranteed to get your taste buds excited. There are live demonstrations, master classes, champagne and whiskey tastings and samples of some of the best produce London has to offer.

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Some of the UK’s best chefs (including Marcus, Michel and Monica from Master Chef) will be there to show you how to cook like a professional.

Returning in 2015 for its tenth year, the Camden Fringe Festival never fails to deliver unique and thought-provoking theatre, comedy and general weirdness. This is great way to discover up and coming talent without going all the way to Edinburgh. Come and support the local acts and enjoy a fun night out in Camden.

Find out more and purchase tickets via the Camden Fringe Festival website.

Musical giants Julia and Angus Stone, Jessie J, George Ezra and Passenger take to the stage at this iconic London venue. From electro-funk to R&B, the line up for this summer series is eclectic and full of talent – choosing which show to attend to is going to be hard.

To see the full line up and to purchase tickets, visit the Sommerset House website.

Bringing music, theatre, performance and art to unique buildings and outdoor spaces across London, the City of London Festival is a celebration of all things creative. Performances vary from large-scale orchestral concerts in St Paul’s Cathedral to intimate comedy shows in a city pub.

The city will also be scattered with acoustic guitars that passers-by are encouraged to pick up and play. Discover your hidden talents in a very public way with the Rock the Boat Street Guitars.

For more information about the festival and to purchase tickets to shows, visit the City of London Festival website.

Make the most of Bank Holiday weekend and get your dance on at South West Four. Clapham Common will come alive with this incredible line up – Armin van Buuren, Basement Jaxx, Faithless, John Digweed and Fatboy Slim, plus plenty more beat-dropping DJs.

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This festival is one of the last for the summer so remember your wellington boots – this blogger has made that mistake.

Weekend tickets are great value starting at £112.50 – buy them from the South West Four website.

Technically this festival happens after summer, but it was too good not to mention. The London Design Festival celebrates innovation and creativity in international design with exhibitions, events, talks and some seriously cool parties. There are pop-up shows and many studios are open to the general public. There is also the Global Design Forum, an event that brings together the biggest names in industry to debate the role of design in a sustainable future.

To see what is happening during the festival and to book tickets to events, visit the London Design Festival website.

Did someone say Peter Andre? The man with that very mysterious girl is back performing live in the historic Tudor courtyard of Hampton Court Palace. From the 11 to 23 June, stars such as Peter, Jools Holland and Paloma Faith will perform as part of the 500th anniversary celebration of the palace. Pack a picnic and eat in the beautiful gardens before the show. You can even hire a waterside gazebo for a truly spectacular evening.

Tickets start from £34. Book online on the Hampton Court Palace Festival website.

It’s never too early to start sewing sequins and feathers onto your Pride Parade outfit. London will turn all shades of rainbow on Saturday 27 June with this year’s theme ‘Pride Heroes’. Why not join in the festivities with a float in this year’s parade? You can sign up now on the Pride in London website.

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Know any other festivals happening in London that you think we should get to? Let us know in the comments below.